The young lady is delicate and soft, yet she criticizes the powerful minister for bowing and scrapin

"Cough cough cough!"

Xie Dongpo coughed wildly to the side, quietly took half a step back, and sighed inwardly at his misfortune.

The people inside haven't heard it yet.

Xie Dongpo was anxious.

"Cough cough cough!"

Wei Ruowei, stop right now.

Wei Jun suddenly turned his head, his eyes blazing with murderous intent: "Do you have lung disease? You'd better go to the Imperial Hospital for a checkup, lest you delay your treatment."

The two people inside loosened their distance, and Wei Ruowei smiled happily: "Big brother is back!"

Wei Jun's Adam's apple bobbed. There were nannies in the courtyard who were responsible for cleaning and cooking.

"The sun is shining brightly today, so the nanny brought the food to the courtyard, and we sat down to eat together."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Qi Yunli had some difficulty getting out of bed, so Wei Ruowei helped her up with one hand, and Wei Jun, seeing this, went to the other side to help her up as well.

The two men helped the person out, one on each side, creating a somewhat comical scene.

Xie Dongpo glanced over from outside, not daring to laugh, for fear of being chopped into mincemeat.

Both siblings have excellent knife skills.

The table was set with light and nourishing dishes that suited Qi Yunli's body, and each person also had a small dessert.

It's full but not cluttered, and there's even a wisteria trellis outside the yard.

"I want to go out for a walk," Qi Yunli said.

Wei Jun flatly refused: "You look pale. Rest for two more days before you leave."

"My brother is busy and doesn't have time to accompany you, but I do have time. I'll walk with you slowly." Wei Ruowei specially served a bowl of pigeon soup to Qi Yunli.

Xie Dongpo nearly choked: "Cough..."

This girl is really carefree.

Wei Ruowei glared at him, "Go see a doctor as soon as you're sick, or you'll pass on your illness to A-Li."

Xie Dongpo lowered his head and drank his porridge, saying nothing more.

So it turns out he was the one meddling.

The four people sat in the courtyard, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

The pigeon soup was tender and had a pleasant aroma of goji berries. Qi Yunli chewed slowly and deliberately, finding it delicious.

This is the first time in so long that I've had a meal face-to-face with Wei Jun. Being so close, I can see his meticulous expression while eating.

Just like completing a task, there was no emotional fluctuation.

In contrast, Wei Ruowei used chopsticks to pick at the bamboo fungus stir-fried with vegetables, taking a big mouthful of rice with each chopstick. The bamboo fungus was very tender and tasted fresh and delicious, making the rice in the bowl seem much more fragrant.

"Is it that delicious?" Qi Yunli couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, Ah Li, you should eat more too."

Wei Ruowei picked up a large spoonful of food for her, but it still wasn't enough, so she poured half the bowl over to her.

She suddenly noticed that her older brother's face was ashen.

"Big brother, you want some too?" Wei Ruowei asked, feeling a little guilty. "Okay, how about we split the rest in half?"

Wei Jun raised an eyebrow sharply, his gaze sweeping over the half-empty bamboo fungus stir-fried vegetables before returning to Wei Ruowei's completely oblivious expression.

"No need."

"Your health is weak, so you shouldn't eat too much bamboo fungus. Bamboo fungus is cold in nature. You should eat water chestnuts, which are a food from the Jiangnan region."

Qi Yunli came from Jiangnan. Although she hadn't been back for a long time, her tastes, which she had been raised from childhood, hadn't changed.

She nodded and ate quite a few water chestnuts.

Xie Dongpo remained silent, like a quail.

Heaven has eyes; how could he possibly see the two siblings fighting over a man?

No, he also felt a little sour inside.

He still couldn't figure out why Wei Ruowei liked Qi Yunli!

The afternoon sun was warm and gentle after lunch, with a breeze blowing.

Wei Jun still couldn't bear it, and finally, when a glimmer of hope appeared in A Li's eyes, she relented.

"Wear a veil and walk around the nearby long street, but don't go too far."

As soon as she finished speaking, Wei Ruowei excitedly retrieved a fox fur coat from inside and carefully draped it over Qi Yunli's shoulders, even adjusting the brim of the hat herself.

A light, plain veil covered Qi Yunli's face, revealing only her clear, bright eyes.

"Set off!"

Wei Jun straightened Qi Yunli's cloak from behind and followed them.

"Shouldn't our eldest brother be back at the manor to handle official business? Ru Feng just said that there are guests visiting the manor," Wei Ruowei chattered.

"Too many people are trying to curry favor with me; I don't want to deal with them this time," Wei Jun said coldly. "But Third Sister, you've been lingering outside for too long; Grandmother and Third Aunt will get suspicious."

Qi Yunli covered her ears: "If you keep arguing, I'm leaving by myself. Don't follow me."

The two of them immediately fell silent.

The long street was filled with the vibrant atmosphere of everyday life, and the taverns and teahouses emitted unique and captivating aromas.

The sugar sculptor and the lantern seller.

Like a bird released from its cage, Wei Ruowei ran around the street near Qi Yunli's wall, "Ah Li, look, do you like this? It's a jade rabbit lantern, it looks just like you."

Qi Yunli nodded with a smile in her eyes.

The lantern vendor fished out a jade rabbit and handed it to Wei Ruowei. Just as Wei Ruowei was about to take it, another hand with distinct knuckles took it first and returned the silver.

"Thank you... Your Highness."

The vendor recognized Wei Jun's identity.

Qi Yunli pursed her lips, took a few steps, then looked up at Wei Jun, her clear eyes carrying a distant politeness:

"It is inconvenient for the young master to travel outside; he should return as soon as possible."

Wei Jun asked her to wear a veil so that others wouldn't recognize her.

Wei Jun's hand froze in mid-air, the touch of the lantern still lingering on his fingertips. Hearing her order to leave, his eyes dimmed.

"It's alright, so what if they recognize me?"

Qi Yunli looked down at the jade rabbit lantern, while Wei Jun continued to do as he pleased, regardless of the lives of others.

There was a group of people at the street corner, and the one in the lead, wearing an apricot-pink dress, was Qin Xue.

Qin Xue was accompanied by several maids carrying food boxes, and they were heading towards the Marquis's residence.

The old lady of the Marquis's mansion sent a message saying that the young master was not in good condition and wanted her to go and comfort him.

Qin Xue was overjoyed. It's easiest to take advantage of someone's vulnerability and enter their heart when they are at their weakest.

But when she looked up and saw several figures across the street, Qin Xue suddenly stopped in her tracks.

His gaze fell on Wei Jun, then swept over the veiled person in front of him holding a jade rabbit lantern.

A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, "Brother Wei Jun."

Qin Xue spoke gently, her gaze thoughtful as she looked at the veiled woman.

Those eyes felt strangely familiar; she needed to take a closer look.

The old lady said Wei Jun was not in good condition, but then he turned around and was shopping with a woman. What was the reason for this?

Unless this woman is the one he's keeping as a mistress.

Xie Dongpo not only retreated himself, but also pulled Wei Ruowei in front of him along with him.

"What?" Wei Ruowei asked in a low voice.

"One battlefield after another is a bloodbath. Let's step back and leave the battlefield to them."

Wei Ruowei pushed him away, "You're the outsider. Step back, I'm joining the fight."

"What a coincidence." Wei Jun stood in front of Qi Yunli, his tone indifferent.

Qin Xue suppressed her anger, her lips still curved into a gentle smile.

"This young lady looks familiar. Which family's sister is she? Since I am your fiancée and a friend of yours, it's natural for me to keep in touch with her more often."

Her words, though seemingly gentle, subtly implied that she was the fiancée, thus giving her a legitimate claim, and also implied that the veiled woman was a friend.

The veiled woman kept a clear boundary; as long as Qin Xue hadn't entered, the veiled woman could only be a friend.

Qin Xue's words sounded harsh to those who were interested, but Qi Yunli remained unmoved.

To put it bluntly, it's all about jealousy over Wei Jun. Qin Xue has no idea how wicked Wei Jun is in private.

but--

A thought flashed through Qi Yunli's mind.

Since Wei Jun ruined her wedding, he should retaliate in kind.

Once this thought arose, it filled my mind.

Before Wei Jun could react, Qi Yunli raised her hand and pried his arm off.

She stepped forward and reached out to hold his shoulder and neck.

Taking advantage of the height difference, she tilted her head slightly and pressed her lips, covered by a thin veil, firmly against the corner of his lips.

The soft touch was fleeting, yet it struck everyone on the long street like a thunderbolt.